LAST DAY OF THE UNREAL WORLD and DAY OF THE PLAY
1:30 p.m. (AFTER LUNCH TOURNAMENT)
"Ashley."
"Tasha."
"John."
"Richard."
"Russ." Ashley's shriek of outrage.
"Tristan."
"Hank."
"Kellie."
"Derek."
"Kat."
"David."
"Ah, damn....Scott.."
"We're the alligators!"
"We're the Cantelopes!" They stared at Kat.
"Let the games begin!"
1:45 p.m. (PAPER BASEBALL)
"Who's at bat?" Angel blew a large, purple bubble then fixed the cap over her hair. Strands hung down from the brim, falling into her eyes until she shoved them behind her ears. Furthermore, the hat bore a label for an Australian team. She'd, obviously, been in John's closet...again.
"Natasha,"came the reply from Ashley who stood on the pitcher's mark, chewing on her own mouthful of gum. Lime green. She popped another bubble and gave Angel her best glare/smile. "If you don't catch this little electrical tape and paper ball, I'm going to turn you into a blackened angel. Game on."
The game picked up for a moment with Angel and Ashley tossing the ball back and forth. Natasha ran. She managed a home run with only a few carpet burns on her arms.
"Safe!" Kat made the motion then proceeded to do a 'victory' dance. This consisted of ripping off the movie Grease and it's ending.
"Next to bat."
Hank took his position, glancing to either side then nodding. "I should make the home run since I've calculate the ball speed, the speed of Ashley's reflexes, Kat's ability to count beyond seven, and Angel's preoccupation with the hat..."
"We gonna play or you gonna give the statistics for our lives?"Angel demanded with another pop of gum and adjustment of 'her' hat.
"Game on!" The others cringed from Kat's voice. It was loud.
This round ended much faster. Hank was struck out then began talking to himself while removing a dictionary from within his fur and locating a calculator. He began to furiously skim the pages and type in numbers.
"Mate, you ever been told you're obsessive compulsive?"
"Yes. Several times. Why?"
John shook his head in a sign of nevermind. Their game continued at a slow rate with nothing more happening than Kat taking a ball to the eye, Ashley threatening Russ' life, and several gum-related incidents.
The clock struck....two.
"Switch." John counted off the seconds on his hands that it took for the teams to switch sides. Twenty-nine. Richard took his place at the 'home base' sheet of paper then waited, watching Tara and Kellie toss the ball back and forth while running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
He waited then ran to the sound of cheering from the females on his team. When he arrived back at base he recieved a glare from the eight-year-old and a stuffed Mr. Oreox plus another beer from his cooler.
"Ahh, moles!" Richard screamed then ran off, vanishing into the bedrooms.
The game resumed. Tara struck out most of their players except Richard, who made it everytime and David who, using Mr. Oreox's stuffed skin, terrified most of them into submission. Memories of the previous 'Mole TakeOver' were still fresh in their minds.
"Out!"Kat shrieked, pointing toward the front door and tapping on the out player's head with a bouquet of every colored pixie stixs. She earned a glare for her efforts. "You are out!"
"I can't be out!" Derek glared at her a moment then pointed at her. "You will pay for destroying my chance to succeed."
"Derek, you're an idiot,"Kellie pointed out helpfully. She blew her brother a kiss then threw their newest paper ball covered in electrical tape at him. It hit him in the chest but didn't bounce off, instead, clinging there. "Ooops."
"Enough, paper baseball! Volleyball time.."
"Volleyball!"
2:20 p.m. (VOLLEYBALL GAME)
"Kat, you're suppoused to hit the ball, not run off with it in your mouth!" Tristan smacked her to knock the white ball from her mouth. It hit the ground then rolled; drool slid down one side when he picked it up. "Now that's just gross."
"Bobby would play fetch with me." Kat's expression dropped into depression at the mention of his name. Tears came to her eyes and she burst into sobs. "I miss Bobby!" She ran off sobbing.
There was a collective sigh from the others except Ashley who shook her head. "Now that's just sad. The girl's only been seperate about...uh-oh, um, Richard, did you realize we've been gone for several months?"
"Yeah...Scott's serve,"he called, tossing the ball over the net and rotating with his team members into their new 'set-up'. He adjusted his sunglasses and spread more green-tinted sunscreen over his nose, grinning like an idiot. His little red cooler rested nearby with a beer on top. "Move closer to the net, Angel and David."
Angel saluted him and returned her attention to the volley ball while David simply chose to ignore him.
Scott served the ball, and for his efforts send it bouncing off first one tree then another. No one said a word for a moment then simply turned and walked away. "I'll get it in a moment!"
John waved a dismissive hand toward him, beginning to walk back toward the house. The others followed; Tara's team ducked under the net then caught up, already plotting their next 'game/tournament'.
Kat's voice was heard the loudest. "RED ROVER!"
2:35 p.m. (RED ROVER)
"Red Rover, Red Rover, send Richard right over!"
Richard looked up from his beer, startled then blinked at them. He brightened after a moment and took off running toward the line of people, holding hands. He ran and tried to break between Kat and Scott but found himself instead on the ground with a sore back. "Kat!"
"The Pixie Queen told me to do it,"she insisted, chewing on the ends of several pixie stixs. The different color powders were staining her mouth and down the front of her shirt. She looked ridiculous, like a little kid.
Ashley sighed. "Stop blaming the pixie queen!"
The Alligators, led by The Double A Batteries, took their place after a moment's discussion. "Red Rover, Red Rover, send Natasha right over!"
Natasha walked forward but instead of trying to break simply pushed a moment. She sighed. "Aw, I'm stuck with the Alligators for this round...yippee,"her tone said she'd rather be with them then the others. She caught onto Derek's hand, tightening her grip to the point of drawing blood.
Hank interrupted. "I feel it is my duty as the smartest member of this team, the Cantelopes." He glanced, pointedly, at Kat. "I am to be the sole representer, like in government,"he added for the confused ones benefit. He allowed them time for that to sink in then continued. "We should call their weak members, like David."
"My child!"
"Shut it, Fairy Sucker." Ashley.
"Yes, ma'am."
The Cantelopes clasped hands and held on. With a swinging motion from Kat, they were forced into swinging hands while calling. "Red Rover, Red Rover, send David right over!"
"I will make you all pay in the name of Mr. Oreox!" David dropped the stuffed mole and ran forward, breaking through Kat and Kellie. He cackled for a moment then grabbed Tara's hand. "You've suffered enough."
"I think I'm about to suffer more,"Tara moaned, dragging her feet as he jerked her along to the other side.
John began their 'plotting of who to call next'. "Mates, I think it would be in our best interest to call Tristan."
"He has the perfect voice,"Angel said, getting a dreamy look to her eyes then turning it into a smirk and evil glint. "Call 'im."
"Yes, shelia."
"Red Rover, Red Rover, send Tristan right over!"
Tristan ran and leaped halfway there, trying to jump the arm barrier between Russ and Derek. His body was caught on their hands but it didn't stop him from dragging them around in two circles before knocking the entire line over. Their hands still didn't seperate.
"You're stuck with us, Tristan!"
"Goodie. Will you hold my hand, Angel?"
Angel rolled her eyes but held his hand, cutting off the circulation with her grip. He yelped and rubbed the back of his hand with the other one but didn't release her hand.
Hank began strategy again. "It's getting time to end this silly game. There's still things to do before we get set-up for our play...we have a secret call." He said something, quietly then smiled.
The Cantelopes straightened our their line then yelled,"RED ROVER, RED ROVER, SEND THE ALLIGATORS RIGHT OVER!"
"Who's the Alligators?" Derek stared blankly at them.
David sighed,"It means they want the whole team to come over."
"Oh. Alligators away!" John gave the battle cry before the eight member team came running across and tried to break through. They failed and ended up with everyone on the grassy ground in a heap. "My mates, this is quite the interesting day. I think we have two more activities before setting up for the play and eating dinner. Our Angel shelia, Tara shelia, Ashley shelia, and Natasha shelia have graciously agreed to cook dinner..."
"Angel, Tara, Natasha, and Kat are cooking dinner...?" The guys looked quite petrefied except John and David.
"I love Aunt Angel's cooking."
"Are you completely insane...?" Tristan and Richard stared at the nine-year-old with a look of intense worry.
3:45 p.m. (HIDE-AND-SEEK TOURNAMENT*** Round Four)
"5...6...7...8...9...10..I'm tired of counting...Ready of not here I come!" Russ uncovered his eyes and looked around the room. It was deserted except the waving, wooden door that led into the kitchen. He started toward it, whistling with a fork in each hand, plastic, mind you. "I know where you are."
A cupboard cabinet rattled and he went over, positioning the fork to stab whatever was beneathe it. He pulled open the door, struck out toward it, then yelled and bolted from the room upon meeting...Mr. Oreox.
"Works every time." David scrambled from the cabinet and ran into the living room, settling into their base chair. He clutched the stuffed animal like a favored toy.
Russ continued his search after overcoming his fear of the mole. He walked down the hall, peeking into bedrooms with his forks out in front; he would catch anyone that tried to move. He slipped into John's room and searched the closet, glancing over his shoulder as though he expected a monster. It was empty. A three inch tall blue sneaker slid under the bed.
He struck with the yell of a lunatic and stuck his fork into the still able to be seen part of the shoe. "Ruuuuss! That was my shoe!" Angel's head appeared and she didn't look happy. The other fork floated up and stabbed him in the cheek.
"That's not fair! I'm just playing the game!"
"Are not! You can't stab people with forks during hide-and-seek,"she said, climbing out from under the bed and adjusting her clothes and flicking invisible dust particles from her jeans and rather 'revealing' shirt. "I guess I'm it then. Call the others."
He vanished, screaming,"Angel's it! Everyone can come out now! Angel's it! Angel's it!"
Doors opened and everyone assembled except for Kat. There were several quick glances before they shrugged.
"Game on?"Ashley asked.
Angel pressed one hand over her eyes and sank into the large black recliner, beginning to rock and count. "1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8....9....10....11...12....13...Ready or not here I come!"
There came a shriek from outside. She glanced up then shook her head at the sight of Kat jumping from a fiery tree; squirrels were scampering down. She smiled upon seeing the squirrels.
"Nasty little vermin. They should all be roasted." She skipped out of the room and into the next one, calling for random people and checking behind furniture. She found no one despite her search of nearly every room in the house; the only rooms left were John and Natasha's bedrooms. "It's worth the risk to my sanity and health."
She bolted down the hall and into Natasha's room, trying to ignore the destroyed piece of furniture and claw marks on the door. It wasn't her place to ask. "Tasha!!!"
It earned no reaction except giggling from the closet. She walked over, placing one hand over her mouth toward the camera man; she stopped a moment then jerked the door open.
Kat, Kellie, and Derek looked up from the spinning ball of yarn in front of them. They'd tied the end around a coat hanger and were trying to make a sling shot.
Angel shook her head, backing away and into the hall. "I give up. End game! It's time to start cooking...!"
(OUR CAST HAVE WASTED QUITE THE AMOUNT OF TIME ARGUING OVER WHAT TO COOK. THEIR FINAL VOTE? MEXICAN FIESTA!)
5:30 p.m. (KITCHEN...SPECIAL REPORT: DON'T INTERRUPT THE COOKS!)
"Natasha, would you please help cook?" Angel turned away from the stove where she was busy frying hamburger meat. She stirred it around behind her back, watching her friend idly pick at things on the counter.
"I can't I have to, uh.." She cast around for a suitable answer then grabbed the salt container. She poured a large amount out onto the counter then began to play with it. "I have to seperate the salt."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Seperate thet salt...?"
"Yes, it's a delicate process,"she said then began to seperate the salt grains into small piles. She pretended to count them while humming some 'heavy metal' song under her breathe.
Tara returned to the tomatoes, lettuce, and olives she was chopping with a shake of her head. "I think you just don't want to cook. Would that be right, Tasha?"
"You're so wrong I can't even hear you."
"Leave her alone, Tara. If Tasha would rather seperate salt into piles, we'll leave her to it, but you may have forgotten one thing." Angel walked over, leaving her nearly browned meet to simmer and cook itself. She picked up the salt container, unscrewed the lid, and dumped the remaining contents onto the counter and her friend's head. "We need all the salt counted."
"If I didn't like you...." Natasha let the threat fade into silence before stomping off. The salt fell from her hair and shoulders, leaving a long trail of white powder; there was the sound of screaming from the next room before a door slammed, water came on, and silence came.
"That wasn't nice, Angel." Tara shook her knife toward her before slicing into another tomatoe.
Ashley hiccuped, taking another drink from her bottle of 'cooking wine'. Tacos and other mexican food didn't call for wine; it wasn't a legitimate truth. "It was still funny to see her stomp off with salt in her hair,"she agreed, beginning to spread some kind of buttery mess across the soft tacos shells. She dumped several pounds of cheese on top of that then stuffed it into the stove, smiling. "Five minutes and...soft tacos are up!"
"Meat's done. Ashley, open the can of refried beans...Ashley? Ashley...?" She looked around the kitchen and noticed that the freezer door was open. She shook her head. She'd just figured out where Hank had hidden all of the alcohol once they'd gotten involved in their game of 'house'.
No one except Richard had alcohol anymore unless they could convince him or someone else to find or buy them something. Their tries were rarely successful.
Tara yelped then stared at her bleeding hand. The knife had cut her palm but she barely acknowledged it except to wash it and wrap it in a make shift bandage; she returned to cutting, ignoring the blood soaking through the bandage. "That hurt."
"Did you wash your hand?"
"Yep."
"Screw drivers for everyone!" Ashley's excited shout drew their attention to the freezer. She stood, just in the doorway, holding up several bottles vodka and a couple of cartons of orange juice.
Tristan appeared in the doorway. "Does someone need a screw driver?"he asked, holding up several different types of real, metal screw drivers.
Angel shoved the door shut with one hand, from the other side of the kitchen, sliding a chair across the floor and under the knob with a kicking motion of her leg.
"See if I ever offer you a screw or screw drivers again!"
"Vegetables are done." Tara had finished her cutting and was now cleaning off her knife and other accessories. She finished cleaning then dug out a large, white spinny thing with several different compartments. "Ash, help me get these things seperated for the mob."
Ashley abandoned her task of mixing somewhere around twenty-four glasses of vodka and orange juice. She left the bottles resting much too close to the edge and walked over, beginning to feel the compartments with toppings for the tacos.
Angel ignored them to open a can of brownish-colored refried beans then pour them into a bowl and shove them into the microwave. She hit a few buttons, watching the bowl spin on it's glass platter while the numbers counted down.
"Wow, this is relaxing,"she mused without looking away. She didn't see the other two giving her strange looks or their shrug before returning to their own task-toppings.
5:45 p.m. (DINING ROOM)
"Wow, tacos with salsa and buttery bread. Thank you, shelias." John gave them each a smile then began to feel his plate, piling the shells down with meat and toppings. He poured salsa of some sort on top before adding beans to his plate. Scott and David followed the example and were soon contentedly eating.
"Is it eatable?"Russ asked, poking the meat with his fork. He picked a spoonful then ate it, chewing thoughtfully. "It's good! I want a double decker taco!"
As if that was all the hint they needed, the other teenagers and chaperones dug in, piling their plates high with every type, flavor, and season of tacos and trimmings.
The cooks- Angel, Tara, and Ashley- and the honary cook- Natasha- waited until last, smirking at their victoy. They had cooked and it wasn't even poisioned or gross. They ate until there was hardly any food left except a few scraps of some things. Tara gave them to Hank to 'lock in a plastic bag and watch for molding'; he gladly took them, thanking her.
Tristan came over after the meal and held one hand out toward them. "I was wrong in saying that you guys couldn't cook it was good,"he said, attempted to kiss them each. He failed. The others came around, as well, and offered their apologies and compliments.
"Mates, it's time for our play!"
7:00 p.m. (TIME FOR THE PLAY)
Voice Overture: As our five months of the first season of the Unreal World comes to a close, we find our children and chaperones hard at work to prepare for their play. The parents and other relatives of the children are arriving. As of this moment, we now have the X-Men entering along with could it be...? Mortimer Toynbee and a gorgeous red head....
Tara looked up and grinned, hurrying over to her brother and throwing her arms around his neck. "Mort, you made it."
"Of course I did, Tadpole. There's someone I'd like you to meet, too." He gave her a brief hug then motioned toward his gorgeous redhead. She came forward, looking out of place in her jeans, boots, and black trenchcoat; the chick looked quite mean but there was a certain smiling quality to it. "Tara Toynbee, this is my fiancee, Nanaki Creed. Nanaki, my little sister."
"Hi, Tara."
Her eyes bugged out at the word fiancee and she gaped at Nanaki's hand. On it, the ring finger, rested a rock with a gold band. It was clearly a wedding band.
"Why wasn't I informed of this...?"
"You tend to have a problem with keeping secrets. How's the play doing?"he asked, keeping one arm securely anchored around his 'fiancee' now. She didn't seem to mind except the tense way she stood. "It can't be taht bad, can it?"
"It's alright. We had to change a few lines...I thought Mags wouldn't let you off?"
Toad shrugged. "He got a religion and ran off on a sabatucal or something. Saber decided to play with a giant ball of yarn, John and his lot decided to start a music group...with little success."
She hesitated to ask her next question. "What about us, Mort?"
"...well, there's some things we need to discuss. Will you excuse us, Nanakins...?"
"Don't call me that." She said it in a thereatening way that made Tara smiled. Maybe Nanaki wouldn't be so bad.
"Mon ange!" Remy swept into the room and picked her up, spinning her around. She clutched his arms and shook her head, telling him not to do it. He set her back on the ground then smiled. "Mon ange, not glad to see her loving Remy?"
"Yeah, Remy, but don't spin me. We just ate mexican...where's Roguey?"
He smiled even brighter. "Roguey be along in a little bit. Everyt'ing been okay at de house?"
"Great, Remy,"she answered, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. She ignored the fact that there was laughter and whisphering behind her. She'd missed him, even the littlest bit.
7:30 p.m. (PLAY TIME)
The play went on without a hitch or even more then a few screw-ups. The ending came along, earning cheers and claps from their audience along with something that MIGHT have been flowers; they weren't completely sure.
Kat broke into song on the stage while the others well saying good-bye to the other Retribution X members.
"I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky, I think about it every night and day spread my wings and fly away, I believe I can soar, I see me running through that open door,I believe I can fly!" The words were puncuated with the sharp shrieks and screechs that she referred to as singing. "I used to think that I could not go on! And life was nothing but an awful song! But now I know the meaning of true love! I'm leaning on the ever lasting arms!"
Something shifted suddenly and the wall on one side ripped, revealing something like a black hole. It rested there a moment then began to suck the Retribution X members into it.
Ashley waved to her new found friends while Kat simply belted out the bridge to her song.
"Hey, Tristan!"
He looked toward the voices for a moment.
Angel and Tara smiled a moment then each blew him a kiss. He brought one hand up as if to catch them then pretended to place them in a pocket.
"Bye, Retribution X!"
"Bye, Tara. Bye, Angel. Bye, Unreal World Cast and Crew!"
Tara and Angel didn't move even after their friends and partners in crime had vanished and the hole closed itself up. They just stared, feeling slightly lost without the house to keep them together as friends.
"Guess you go back to the brotherhood. You and Tasha."
"Tasha, yes. Me, no,"she said, smiling then turned to face her best friend since five. They exchanged a look then Angel smiled.
"Really?"
"Yep. Magneto, the buckethead, got religion and left everyone alone. Tasha's still gotta live with her dad but...Mort and I along with Nanaki are joining the X-Manison again. Ain't that great?"
Angel's smile brightened into a smirk. "Terrific. You know, Stormy planted a new garden last week and I know where we can get a bunch of rabbits and goats for cheap. Wanna do an experiment?"she asked, wrapping one arm around her as they made their way outside and over to their waiting 'family'.
"Does it involve that funny way Storm says your name...?" Tara demonstrated.
"Bingo."
1:30 p.m. (AFTER LUNCH TOURNAMENT)
"Ashley."
"Tasha."
"John."
"Richard."
"Russ." Ashley's shriek of outrage.
"Tristan."
"Hank."
"Kellie."
"Derek."
"Kat."
"David."
"Ah, damn....Scott.."
"We're the alligators!"
"We're the Cantelopes!" They stared at Kat.
"Let the games begin!"
1:45 p.m. (PAPER BASEBALL)
"Who's at bat?" Angel blew a large, purple bubble then fixed the cap over her hair. Strands hung down from the brim, falling into her eyes until she shoved them behind her ears. Furthermore, the hat bore a label for an Australian team. She'd, obviously, been in John's closet...again.
"Natasha,"came the reply from Ashley who stood on the pitcher's mark, chewing on her own mouthful of gum. Lime green. She popped another bubble and gave Angel her best glare/smile. "If you don't catch this little electrical tape and paper ball, I'm going to turn you into a blackened angel. Game on."
The game picked up for a moment with Angel and Ashley tossing the ball back and forth. Natasha ran. She managed a home run with only a few carpet burns on her arms.
"Safe!" Kat made the motion then proceeded to do a 'victory' dance. This consisted of ripping off the movie Grease and it's ending.
"Next to bat."
Hank took his position, glancing to either side then nodding. "I should make the home run since I've calculate the ball speed, the speed of Ashley's reflexes, Kat's ability to count beyond seven, and Angel's preoccupation with the hat..."
"We gonna play or you gonna give the statistics for our lives?"Angel demanded with another pop of gum and adjustment of 'her' hat.
"Game on!" The others cringed from Kat's voice. It was loud.
This round ended much faster. Hank was struck out then began talking to himself while removing a dictionary from within his fur and locating a calculator. He began to furiously skim the pages and type in numbers.
"Mate, you ever been told you're obsessive compulsive?"
"Yes. Several times. Why?"
John shook his head in a sign of nevermind. Their game continued at a slow rate with nothing more happening than Kat taking a ball to the eye, Ashley threatening Russ' life, and several gum-related incidents.
The clock struck....two.
"Switch." John counted off the seconds on his hands that it took for the teams to switch sides. Twenty-nine. Richard took his place at the 'home base' sheet of paper then waited, watching Tara and Kellie toss the ball back and forth while running around like chickens with their heads cut off.
He waited then ran to the sound of cheering from the females on his team. When he arrived back at base he recieved a glare from the eight-year-old and a stuffed Mr. Oreox plus another beer from his cooler.
"Ahh, moles!" Richard screamed then ran off, vanishing into the bedrooms.
The game resumed. Tara struck out most of their players except Richard, who made it everytime and David who, using Mr. Oreox's stuffed skin, terrified most of them into submission. Memories of the previous 'Mole TakeOver' were still fresh in their minds.
"Out!"Kat shrieked, pointing toward the front door and tapping on the out player's head with a bouquet of every colored pixie stixs. She earned a glare for her efforts. "You are out!"
"I can't be out!" Derek glared at her a moment then pointed at her. "You will pay for destroying my chance to succeed."
"Derek, you're an idiot,"Kellie pointed out helpfully. She blew her brother a kiss then threw their newest paper ball covered in electrical tape at him. It hit him in the chest but didn't bounce off, instead, clinging there. "Ooops."
"Enough, paper baseball! Volleyball time.."
"Volleyball!"
2:20 p.m. (VOLLEYBALL GAME)
"Kat, you're suppoused to hit the ball, not run off with it in your mouth!" Tristan smacked her to knock the white ball from her mouth. It hit the ground then rolled; drool slid down one side when he picked it up. "Now that's just gross."
"Bobby would play fetch with me." Kat's expression dropped into depression at the mention of his name. Tears came to her eyes and she burst into sobs. "I miss Bobby!" She ran off sobbing.
There was a collective sigh from the others except Ashley who shook her head. "Now that's just sad. The girl's only been seperate about...uh-oh, um, Richard, did you realize we've been gone for several months?"
"Yeah...Scott's serve,"he called, tossing the ball over the net and rotating with his team members into their new 'set-up'. He adjusted his sunglasses and spread more green-tinted sunscreen over his nose, grinning like an idiot. His little red cooler rested nearby with a beer on top. "Move closer to the net, Angel and David."
Angel saluted him and returned her attention to the volley ball while David simply chose to ignore him.
Scott served the ball, and for his efforts send it bouncing off first one tree then another. No one said a word for a moment then simply turned and walked away. "I'll get it in a moment!"
John waved a dismissive hand toward him, beginning to walk back toward the house. The others followed; Tara's team ducked under the net then caught up, already plotting their next 'game/tournament'.
Kat's voice was heard the loudest. "RED ROVER!"
2:35 p.m. (RED ROVER)
"Red Rover, Red Rover, send Richard right over!"
Richard looked up from his beer, startled then blinked at them. He brightened after a moment and took off running toward the line of people, holding hands. He ran and tried to break between Kat and Scott but found himself instead on the ground with a sore back. "Kat!"
"The Pixie Queen told me to do it,"she insisted, chewing on the ends of several pixie stixs. The different color powders were staining her mouth and down the front of her shirt. She looked ridiculous, like a little kid.
Ashley sighed. "Stop blaming the pixie queen!"
The Alligators, led by The Double A Batteries, took their place after a moment's discussion. "Red Rover, Red Rover, send Natasha right over!"
Natasha walked forward but instead of trying to break simply pushed a moment. She sighed. "Aw, I'm stuck with the Alligators for this round...yippee,"her tone said she'd rather be with them then the others. She caught onto Derek's hand, tightening her grip to the point of drawing blood.
Hank interrupted. "I feel it is my duty as the smartest member of this team, the Cantelopes." He glanced, pointedly, at Kat. "I am to be the sole representer, like in government,"he added for the confused ones benefit. He allowed them time for that to sink in then continued. "We should call their weak members, like David."
"My child!"
"Shut it, Fairy Sucker." Ashley.
"Yes, ma'am."
The Cantelopes clasped hands and held on. With a swinging motion from Kat, they were forced into swinging hands while calling. "Red Rover, Red Rover, send David right over!"
"I will make you all pay in the name of Mr. Oreox!" David dropped the stuffed mole and ran forward, breaking through Kat and Kellie. He cackled for a moment then grabbed Tara's hand. "You've suffered enough."
"I think I'm about to suffer more,"Tara moaned, dragging her feet as he jerked her along to the other side.
John began their 'plotting of who to call next'. "Mates, I think it would be in our best interest to call Tristan."
"He has the perfect voice,"Angel said, getting a dreamy look to her eyes then turning it into a smirk and evil glint. "Call 'im."
"Yes, shelia."
"Red Rover, Red Rover, send Tristan right over!"
Tristan ran and leaped halfway there, trying to jump the arm barrier between Russ and Derek. His body was caught on their hands but it didn't stop him from dragging them around in two circles before knocking the entire line over. Their hands still didn't seperate.
"You're stuck with us, Tristan!"
"Goodie. Will you hold my hand, Angel?"
Angel rolled her eyes but held his hand, cutting off the circulation with her grip. He yelped and rubbed the back of his hand with the other one but didn't release her hand.
Hank began strategy again. "It's getting time to end this silly game. There's still things to do before we get set-up for our play...we have a secret call." He said something, quietly then smiled.
The Cantelopes straightened our their line then yelled,"RED ROVER, RED ROVER, SEND THE ALLIGATORS RIGHT OVER!"
"Who's the Alligators?" Derek stared blankly at them.
David sighed,"It means they want the whole team to come over."
"Oh. Alligators away!" John gave the battle cry before the eight member team came running across and tried to break through. They failed and ended up with everyone on the grassy ground in a heap. "My mates, this is quite the interesting day. I think we have two more activities before setting up for the play and eating dinner. Our Angel shelia, Tara shelia, Ashley shelia, and Natasha shelia have graciously agreed to cook dinner..."
"Angel, Tara, Natasha, and Kat are cooking dinner...?" The guys looked quite petrefied except John and David.
"I love Aunt Angel's cooking."
"Are you completely insane...?" Tristan and Richard stared at the nine-year-old with a look of intense worry.
3:45 p.m. (HIDE-AND-SEEK TOURNAMENT*** Round Four)
"5...6...7...8...9...10..I'm tired of counting...Ready of not here I come!" Russ uncovered his eyes and looked around the room. It was deserted except the waving, wooden door that led into the kitchen. He started toward it, whistling with a fork in each hand, plastic, mind you. "I know where you are."
A cupboard cabinet rattled and he went over, positioning the fork to stab whatever was beneathe it. He pulled open the door, struck out toward it, then yelled and bolted from the room upon meeting...Mr. Oreox.
"Works every time." David scrambled from the cabinet and ran into the living room, settling into their base chair. He clutched the stuffed animal like a favored toy.
Russ continued his search after overcoming his fear of the mole. He walked down the hall, peeking into bedrooms with his forks out in front; he would catch anyone that tried to move. He slipped into John's room and searched the closet, glancing over his shoulder as though he expected a monster. It was empty. A three inch tall blue sneaker slid under the bed.
He struck with the yell of a lunatic and stuck his fork into the still able to be seen part of the shoe. "Ruuuuss! That was my shoe!" Angel's head appeared and she didn't look happy. The other fork floated up and stabbed him in the cheek.
"That's not fair! I'm just playing the game!"
"Are not! You can't stab people with forks during hide-and-seek,"she said, climbing out from under the bed and adjusting her clothes and flicking invisible dust particles from her jeans and rather 'revealing' shirt. "I guess I'm it then. Call the others."
He vanished, screaming,"Angel's it! Everyone can come out now! Angel's it! Angel's it!"
Doors opened and everyone assembled except for Kat. There were several quick glances before they shrugged.
"Game on?"Ashley asked.
Angel pressed one hand over her eyes and sank into the large black recliner, beginning to rock and count. "1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8....9....10....11...12....13...Ready or not here I come!"
There came a shriek from outside. She glanced up then shook her head at the sight of Kat jumping from a fiery tree; squirrels were scampering down. She smiled upon seeing the squirrels.
"Nasty little vermin. They should all be roasted." She skipped out of the room and into the next one, calling for random people and checking behind furniture. She found no one despite her search of nearly every room in the house; the only rooms left were John and Natasha's bedrooms. "It's worth the risk to my sanity and health."
She bolted down the hall and into Natasha's room, trying to ignore the destroyed piece of furniture and claw marks on the door. It wasn't her place to ask. "Tasha!!!"
It earned no reaction except giggling from the closet. She walked over, placing one hand over her mouth toward the camera man; she stopped a moment then jerked the door open.
Kat, Kellie, and Derek looked up from the spinning ball of yarn in front of them. They'd tied the end around a coat hanger and were trying to make a sling shot.
Angel shook her head, backing away and into the hall. "I give up. End game! It's time to start cooking...!"
(OUR CAST HAVE WASTED QUITE THE AMOUNT OF TIME ARGUING OVER WHAT TO COOK. THEIR FINAL VOTE? MEXICAN FIESTA!)
5:30 p.m. (KITCHEN...SPECIAL REPORT: DON'T INTERRUPT THE COOKS!)
"Natasha, would you please help cook?" Angel turned away from the stove where she was busy frying hamburger meat. She stirred it around behind her back, watching her friend idly pick at things on the counter.
"I can't I have to, uh.." She cast around for a suitable answer then grabbed the salt container. She poured a large amount out onto the counter then began to play with it. "I have to seperate the salt."
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Seperate thet salt...?"
"Yes, it's a delicate process,"she said then began to seperate the salt grains into small piles. She pretended to count them while humming some 'heavy metal' song under her breathe.
Tara returned to the tomatoes, lettuce, and olives she was chopping with a shake of her head. "I think you just don't want to cook. Would that be right, Tasha?"
"You're so wrong I can't even hear you."
"Leave her alone, Tara. If Tasha would rather seperate salt into piles, we'll leave her to it, but you may have forgotten one thing." Angel walked over, leaving her nearly browned meet to simmer and cook itself. She picked up the salt container, unscrewed the lid, and dumped the remaining contents onto the counter and her friend's head. "We need all the salt counted."
"If I didn't like you...." Natasha let the threat fade into silence before stomping off. The salt fell from her hair and shoulders, leaving a long trail of white powder; there was the sound of screaming from the next room before a door slammed, water came on, and silence came.
"That wasn't nice, Angel." Tara shook her knife toward her before slicing into another tomatoe.
Ashley hiccuped, taking another drink from her bottle of 'cooking wine'. Tacos and other mexican food didn't call for wine; it wasn't a legitimate truth. "It was still funny to see her stomp off with salt in her hair,"she agreed, beginning to spread some kind of buttery mess across the soft tacos shells. She dumped several pounds of cheese on top of that then stuffed it into the stove, smiling. "Five minutes and...soft tacos are up!"
"Meat's done. Ashley, open the can of refried beans...Ashley? Ashley...?" She looked around the kitchen and noticed that the freezer door was open. She shook her head. She'd just figured out where Hank had hidden all of the alcohol once they'd gotten involved in their game of 'house'.
No one except Richard had alcohol anymore unless they could convince him or someone else to find or buy them something. Their tries were rarely successful.
Tara yelped then stared at her bleeding hand. The knife had cut her palm but she barely acknowledged it except to wash it and wrap it in a make shift bandage; she returned to cutting, ignoring the blood soaking through the bandage. "That hurt."
"Did you wash your hand?"
"Yep."
"Screw drivers for everyone!" Ashley's excited shout drew their attention to the freezer. She stood, just in the doorway, holding up several bottles vodka and a couple of cartons of orange juice.
Tristan appeared in the doorway. "Does someone need a screw driver?"he asked, holding up several different types of real, metal screw drivers.
Angel shoved the door shut with one hand, from the other side of the kitchen, sliding a chair across the floor and under the knob with a kicking motion of her leg.
"See if I ever offer you a screw or screw drivers again!"
"Vegetables are done." Tara had finished her cutting and was now cleaning off her knife and other accessories. She finished cleaning then dug out a large, white spinny thing with several different compartments. "Ash, help me get these things seperated for the mob."
Ashley abandoned her task of mixing somewhere around twenty-four glasses of vodka and orange juice. She left the bottles resting much too close to the edge and walked over, beginning to feel the compartments with toppings for the tacos.
Angel ignored them to open a can of brownish-colored refried beans then pour them into a bowl and shove them into the microwave. She hit a few buttons, watching the bowl spin on it's glass platter while the numbers counted down.
"Wow, this is relaxing,"she mused without looking away. She didn't see the other two giving her strange looks or their shrug before returning to their own task-toppings.
5:45 p.m. (DINING ROOM)
"Wow, tacos with salsa and buttery bread. Thank you, shelias." John gave them each a smile then began to feel his plate, piling the shells down with meat and toppings. He poured salsa of some sort on top before adding beans to his plate. Scott and David followed the example and were soon contentedly eating.
"Is it eatable?"Russ asked, poking the meat with his fork. He picked a spoonful then ate it, chewing thoughtfully. "It's good! I want a double decker taco!"
As if that was all the hint they needed, the other teenagers and chaperones dug in, piling their plates high with every type, flavor, and season of tacos and trimmings.
The cooks- Angel, Tara, and Ashley- and the honary cook- Natasha- waited until last, smirking at their victoy. They had cooked and it wasn't even poisioned or gross. They ate until there was hardly any food left except a few scraps of some things. Tara gave them to Hank to 'lock in a plastic bag and watch for molding'; he gladly took them, thanking her.
Tristan came over after the meal and held one hand out toward them. "I was wrong in saying that you guys couldn't cook it was good,"he said, attempted to kiss them each. He failed. The others came around, as well, and offered their apologies and compliments.
"Mates, it's time for our play!"
7:00 p.m. (TIME FOR THE PLAY)
Voice Overture: As our five months of the first season of the Unreal World comes to a close, we find our children and chaperones hard at work to prepare for their play. The parents and other relatives of the children are arriving. As of this moment, we now have the X-Men entering along with could it be...? Mortimer Toynbee and a gorgeous red head....
Tara looked up and grinned, hurrying over to her brother and throwing her arms around his neck. "Mort, you made it."
"Of course I did, Tadpole. There's someone I'd like you to meet, too." He gave her a brief hug then motioned toward his gorgeous redhead. She came forward, looking out of place in her jeans, boots, and black trenchcoat; the chick looked quite mean but there was a certain smiling quality to it. "Tara Toynbee, this is my fiancee, Nanaki Creed. Nanaki, my little sister."
"Hi, Tara."
Her eyes bugged out at the word fiancee and she gaped at Nanaki's hand. On it, the ring finger, rested a rock with a gold band. It was clearly a wedding band.
"Why wasn't I informed of this...?"
"You tend to have a problem with keeping secrets. How's the play doing?"he asked, keeping one arm securely anchored around his 'fiancee' now. She didn't seem to mind except the tense way she stood. "It can't be taht bad, can it?"
"It's alright. We had to change a few lines...I thought Mags wouldn't let you off?"
Toad shrugged. "He got a religion and ran off on a sabatucal or something. Saber decided to play with a giant ball of yarn, John and his lot decided to start a music group...with little success."
She hesitated to ask her next question. "What about us, Mort?"
"...well, there's some things we need to discuss. Will you excuse us, Nanakins...?"
"Don't call me that." She said it in a thereatening way that made Tara smiled. Maybe Nanaki wouldn't be so bad.
"Mon ange!" Remy swept into the room and picked her up, spinning her around. She clutched his arms and shook her head, telling him not to do it. He set her back on the ground then smiled. "Mon ange, not glad to see her loving Remy?"
"Yeah, Remy, but don't spin me. We just ate mexican...where's Roguey?"
He smiled even brighter. "Roguey be along in a little bit. Everyt'ing been okay at de house?"
"Great, Remy,"she answered, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. She ignored the fact that there was laughter and whisphering behind her. She'd missed him, even the littlest bit.
7:30 p.m. (PLAY TIME)
The play went on without a hitch or even more then a few screw-ups. The ending came along, earning cheers and claps from their audience along with something that MIGHT have been flowers; they weren't completely sure.
Kat broke into song on the stage while the others well saying good-bye to the other Retribution X members.
"I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky, I think about it every night and day spread my wings and fly away, I believe I can soar, I see me running through that open door,I believe I can fly!" The words were puncuated with the sharp shrieks and screechs that she referred to as singing. "I used to think that I could not go on! And life was nothing but an awful song! But now I know the meaning of true love! I'm leaning on the ever lasting arms!"
Something shifted suddenly and the wall on one side ripped, revealing something like a black hole. It rested there a moment then began to suck the Retribution X members into it.
Ashley waved to her new found friends while Kat simply belted out the bridge to her song.
"Hey, Tristan!"
He looked toward the voices for a moment.
Angel and Tara smiled a moment then each blew him a kiss. He brought one hand up as if to catch them then pretended to place them in a pocket.
"Bye, Retribution X!"
"Bye, Tara. Bye, Angel. Bye, Unreal World Cast and Crew!"
Tara and Angel didn't move even after their friends and partners in crime had vanished and the hole closed itself up. They just stared, feeling slightly lost without the house to keep them together as friends.
"Guess you go back to the brotherhood. You and Tasha."
"Tasha, yes. Me, no,"she said, smiling then turned to face her best friend since five. They exchanged a look then Angel smiled.
"Really?"
"Yep. Magneto, the buckethead, got religion and left everyone alone. Tasha's still gotta live with her dad but...Mort and I along with Nanaki are joining the X-Manison again. Ain't that great?"
Angel's smile brightened into a smirk. "Terrific. You know, Stormy planted a new garden last week and I know where we can get a bunch of rabbits and goats for cheap. Wanna do an experiment?"she asked, wrapping one arm around her as they made their way outside and over to their waiting 'family'.
"Does it involve that funny way Storm says your name...?" Tara demonstrated.
"Bingo."